02/13/2014

Imperial Tattoo in Sugar Land, Texas has become a surprising well-spring of anti-bullying activism after the attempted suicide of Michael Morone, an 11-year-old student and "brony" (a male fan of "My Little Pony") from North Carolina.

The tattoo parlor's owner, Tony Wayne, took action immediately, offering $20 "My Little Pony" tattoos in order to raise funds for Michael and an anti-bullying organization. It turns out that Michael and tattoo aficionados have more in common than one might initially think.

"We've done 25-30 of them since last week and more are booked this week," said store owner Tony Wayne. "They're regular guys, tattooed mean lookin' guys."

Wayne says as soon as he saw Michael Morones' story, he knew he had to help.

"Tattoos are about freedom of expression. Michael should have been free to like My Little Pony if he wanted to," Wayne said. "I knew other kids would be being bullied and this was the only way I could think to help."

Patrons with personal stakes in Michael's story have also gone to Imperial to receive their equine ink.

Christy Van Kannon, 34, from Katy got a blue My Little Pony with a red mohawk on the inside of her left arm. She said she felt compelled to do it because one of her 12 year old daughter's school friends also committed suicide because of bullying.

"I have three kids," said Van Kannon, "For me this was an incredible opportunity to show people how important it is to stop bullying, We have to stand up for others that cant stand up for themselves"

Michael's recovery is suspect at this point, and he is still in critical condition at a North Carolina hospital. He may have severe brain damage. A recovery fund has raised nearly $70,000, but some of the Imperial's donations will also go to Stomp Out Bullying, a bullying prevention organization aimed at kids and teenagers.

"I didn't even realize this was going on, but things should not be gender specific. I'm getting (a My Little Pony Tattoo) myself now. You don't have to be a girl to like My Little Pony," Wayne said.

If anyone still has any question as to why it is more important than ever for gay athletes to be out, look no further than tweets from Mississippi State University's Rufus Warren, a sophomore football player.

Wyoming's House of Representatives has voted 41-17 to reject a bill that would have given gay and lesbian couples the freedom to marry, the Casper Star-Tribune reports:

House Bill 87, sponsored by Rep. Cathy Connolly, D-Laramie, would have changed the law that says marriage is a contract between a male and female to marriage being a contract between two natural persons.

...Connolly, who is openly gay, said there are 12,877 gay people in Wyoming. On a personal note, she said she’s lived in Wyoming for two decades and has chosen to raise her son here.

“If I want to get married to the woman that I love, I want to do it here,” she said.

Instagram, Facebook remove accounts of anti-gay Russian vigilante groups. We’re still waiting to hear back from Facebook. “One profile [of a member of the hate group] has been taken down,” says Aravosis, “but the profile of [Maks Martsinkevich,] the ringleader of Occupy Pedophilia, which include numerous posts of his abduction videos in his timeline, is still live.”

Former University of Nebraska kicker Erick Lueshen says he was openly gay the entire time he was on the team and loved by his teammates.

ACLU advises Jets and Giants that they can't discriminate against gays: "The letter was sent in response to University of Missouri player Michael Sam’s revelation that he is gay. Sam, a top NFL prospect, may be the first openly gay player in the NFL. One news outlet, SI.com, quoted general managers anonymously saying they would not draft Sam because he is gay."

Man indicted in killing of gay Clarksdale, Mississippi mayoral candidate Marco McMillian a year ago. "McMillian was found dead on Feb. 27, 2013. He had been beaten and his body had been burned and left on a river levee."

Catholics for Fairness in Kentucky to make annual Pilgrimage to the Cathedral of the Assumption, where they will call on Archbishop Joseph Kurtz, church leader and current president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, to acknowledge the inherent dignity of all human beings, including LGBT people.

Julian Castro and Evan Wolfson on the challenge to Texas' ban on gay marriage: "None of the fear-mongering arguments against the freedom to marry has come true in the 17 states — including Iowa, Maine and New Mexico, hardly bastions of liberal politics — that have ended their bans and allowed committed same-sex couples to marry. Like the majority of Americans nationwide, Texans are coming to the conclusion that excluding same-sex couples from marriage is wrong. After all, we believe in individual responsibility and the pursuit of happiness, and know that freedom means freedom for all."